What is FPS? Easily explained
The acronym FPS stands for the unit "frames per second" and is often used in relation to computer games and videos. In this practical tip, we explain exactly what FPS is and what the values say.
FPS: Information about the image flow in frames per second
FPS means "frames per second" and can be understood in German as "frames per second". The FPS value indicates how many frames per second appear on your screen and therefore how smoothly the picture runs. Often there is also talk of the "frame rate".
- Humans can process around 16 to 18 frames per second. A standard of 24 frames per second has become established in video technology, which guarantees that a video appears as a smooth moving image.
- In modern cinema films, an image display with 48 FPS is sometimes used. These are marketed under the "higher frame rate". Appropriate technical equipment is required to play such videos, which is slowly spreading in cinemas.
- Especially in computer games, the FPS specification also plays a major role: It depends primarily on the hardware of your computer whether you can play a game smoothly or not. In the professional gaming sector, it is often crucial to achieve a high number of FPS. In another practical tip, we answer the question of how much FPS a computer game runs smoothly (enough).
1080p50 and 1080p60 - FPS for home users
- Many camcorders allow recordings at 50 or 60 FPS. The advantage compared to shooting at 24 to 30 frames per second is very small and hardly noticeable for most people. However, such recordings are advantageous if the video records fast processes and is later played back at a reduced speed - for slow motion effects, for example. That is why the FPS number is an important figure for action cams.
FPS also stands for "First Person Shooter"
The abbreviation FPS is usually associated with "frames per second", but it also stands for "first person shooter"
- It is simply the English name for what we know as a first person shooter.
- FPS also stands for a game category, more precisely a genre of action video games. By the way, we present the 5 best first-person shooters for Android and iOS in further practical tips.
We will explain in another practical tip how you measure the FPS value on the computer.